TORONTO — It has been more than a year since the Blackhawks traded Kirby Dach, yet Dach’s highlights and lowlights continue to often involve the Hawks.
The latest news is that the 22-year-old Canadiens forward will be out long-term, Sportsnet’s Eric Engels reported Monday, due to an injury suffered Saturday against the Hawks in Montreal.
Hawks defenseman Jarred Tinordi delivered a big hit on Dach as he skated past the Hawks’ bench during the first period, sending Dach over the boards and into Seth Jones and Kevin Korchinski’s laps.
The hit wasn’t dirty and didn’t look dangerous, but Dach left it not putting weight on his right leg. Cameras caught him pointing at his right knee when leaving the game; he did not return. Now, it seems like he could miss months.
It’s a complete reversal of fortunes from Dach’s first matchup against the Hawks on Nov. 25 last season at the United Center. He scored the shootout winner and cupped his glove over his ear while staring down Hawks fans — a clip that featured prominently in the Canadiens’ pregame intro video Saturday.
In his postgame interview that day, he mentioned “not being wanted” in Chicago and feeling motivated to “prove to people that you are who you are.” At the time, he had tallied 17 points in first 21 games for the Canadiens, but he subsequently cooled off and finished with 38 points in 58 games.
Tinordi and Dach never actually overlapped on the Hawks, but Tinordi was in the lineup Nov. 25 last season. Jones and Dach did overlap and the former gave the latter a slight glare as he shoved him back onto the ice Saturday.
Further complicating the Hawks’ relationship with Dach is the fact his younger brother, Colton, remains one of the team’s most promising forward prospects. Coincidentally, Colton Dach is also out injured at the moment, with an ankle issue picked up in the final preseason game delaying his AHL debut.
Nazar, meanwhile
Frank Nazar’s health, meanwhile, has trended in the opposite direction from Dach’s.
The 19-year-old forward prospect, whom the Hawks drafted with the 13th overall pick acquired from the Canadiens, has tallied four points in four games to start his sophomore season at the University of Michigan. (The Hawks also got a third-round pick in that trade that turned into Gavin Hayes.)
Nazar’s solid start to the college season builds upon his explosive showing for the U.S. at the World Junior Summer Showcase in August. After missing most of last season recovering from hip surgery, he now seems back on track developmentally.
